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Hyperlite Mountain Gear Southwest 55 Backpack vs Hyperlite Mountain Gear Windrider 40

Weight and specs compared for 2026 — and which one to choose.

Hyperlite Mountain Gear Windrider 40 is the lighter option — 6 g lighter than the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Southwest 55 Backpack (1% less weight). If grams matter to you, that is the one to beat.
Spec Hyperlite Mountain Gear Southwest 55 Backpack Hyperlite Mountain Gear Windrider 40
Weight 850 g · 0.850 kg · 1.87 lb 844 g · 0.844 kg · 1.86 lb
Brand Hyperlite Mountain Gear Hyperlite Mountain Gear
Category Backpack Backpack
Hyperlite Mountain Gear Southwest 55 Backpack
850 g

Robust ultralight pack with Dyneema Composite Hybrid fabric and two aluminum stays. Ideal for technical terrain and variable weather conditions.

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Hyperlite Mountain Gear Windrider 40
844 g

100% waterproof Dyneema pack with sewn-through back panel and internal frame stay. 40L volume, three exterior mesh pockets for wet gear.

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Hyperlite Mountain Gear Southwest 55 Backpack vs Hyperlite Mountain Gear Windrider 40: which should you buy?

If saving weight is your priority, the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Windrider 40 wins — at 844 g it is 6 g (1%) lighter than the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Southwest 55 Backpack (850 g). That said, the heavier option may justify the extra grams with more capacity, durability or comfort, so weigh the trade-off against how you'll use it.

See where both rank against everything else in this category on the lightest backpack page, or browse the full gear weight database.

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